MARK STEVENSON

Mark Stevenson’s life is an exercise in balancing accessible entertainment and extreme geekiness.

His early career saw him simultaneously work as an expert in prime number cryptography while fronting a pop band, enjoying brief notoriety in Japan, France and much to his surprise, Chile. In his spare time he wrote a national newspaper column.

Mark then took to stand-up comedy, deriving almost all of his material from the annals of scientific and mathematical research. “Smart doesn’t have to be dull or for those with an education,” he says. “There’s something great about working Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorem into a set on a Tuesday night in Swindon.” He was soon writing for Talkback Thames, fulfilling a regular joke writing contract and is currently collaborating on two plays about truth as well as writing ‘An Optimist’s Tour of the Future’ – a popular science book for people who don’t read popular science books, as well as providing a funnier read for those who do.

Continuing to balance entertainment with more formal vehicles Mark is also the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of both Flow Associates, the UK’s most respected cultural learning consultancy and ReAgency, an agency for science communication talent. He has recently been elected a fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts, Manufacture and Commerce and fulfils a number of advisory roles notably to The Virgin Earth Challenge, Civilised Bank and Atlas of the Future.

One of the most successful speakers at the London Speakers Bureau, he gives talks and lectures around the world.

His latest book, the acclaimed We Do Things Differently – The Outsiders Rebooting Our World was published by Profile in 2017.

A passionate advocate for science, an innovative approach, a great sense of humour and the ability to make the mundane seem much more interesting – Royal College of Surgeons

An unashamedly intelligent comedic talent – The Irish Independent

Extremely funny, scientifically relevant and a consummate professional – University of Bristol Medical School

LATEST BOOK: WE DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY: THE OUTSIDERS REBOOTING OUR WORLD

Our systems are failing. Old models - for education, healthcare and government, food production, energy supply - are creaking under the weight of modern challenges. As the world's population heads towards 10 billion, it's clear we need new approaches. Futurologist Mark Stevenson sets out to find them, across four continents.

From Brazilian favelas to high tech Boston, from rural India to a shed inventor in England's home counties, We Do Things Differently travels the world to find the advance guard re-imagining our future. At each stop, he meets innovators who have already succeeded in challenging the status quo, pioneering new ways to make our world more sustainable, equitable and humane.

Populated by extraordinary characters, We Do Things Differently paints an enthralling picture of what can be done to address the world's most pressing dilemmas, offering a much needed dose of down-to-earth optimism. It is a window on (and a roadmap to) a different and better future.